Inside this Issue:

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Legislative Update

OCSTA is monitoring several provincial bills, including:

• Bill 10, Child Care Modernization Act, 2014 – the Act received royal assent last December and replaces the decades-old Day Nurseries Act. The Act gives the government increased oversight of the sector and amends the Education Act to ensure school boards offer before- and after- school programs for 6-12 year-olds where there is sufficient demand.
• Bill 8, Public Sector and MPP Accountability and Transparency Act, 2014 – the Act received Royal Assent last December and imposes limits on executive compensation for certain designated organizations in the broader public sector, including  charities and non-profits in the health and education sectors.
  • Note: The Ministry of Education recently issued a B2 Memorandum announcing the commencement of desk audits by the Minister for the purpose of reviewing the compensation of Directors of Education.  School boards must submit the documentation (described in the memo) to the ministry by March 6, 2015.  Click here to view the B2 memo.

Catholic Education Week Resources

2015 Catholic Education Week (CEW) posters, prayer cards, and special CD featuring the CEW song “Exploring Paths of Joy”, have been sent to all Catholic school boards.  CEW curriculum and liturgical resources (including the MP3 file for the song) can be downloaded directly from the OCSTA website.

For more information please contact Connie Araujo-De Melo at 416-932-9460, ext. 226 / cdemelo[at]ocsta.on.ca.

Province-wide Mass During Catholic Education Week

Once again, Ontario’s Catholic student trustees leadership team is planning a “Province-wide Student Mass.”

We look forawrd to the celebration of the Eucharist in all our Catholic high schools across Ontario on May 7, 2015.

The Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario (ACBO) is also supporting this initiative with specially produced videotaped greetings from the local Bishop, Cardinal or Archbishop for each high school/school board participating in this province-wide event.

A memo was sent to each CDSB Chair and Director of Education providing information and details for coordinating the province-wide liturgy and diocesan video-greeting.

For more information, please contact Connie Araujo-De Melo at 416-932-9460, ext. 226 / cdemelo[at]ocsta.on.ca.

Strengthening Connections Across the Province

OCSTA has created a vehicle for sharing the “Good News” happening in Ontario’s Catholic schools with more members within the Catholic community. The new “Our Catholic Schools” newsletter is shared with parents, students, trustees, teachers, the Catholic Women’s League, the Knights of Columbus, parish communities and anyone interested in Catholic education in this province.

To get on this list and to start receiving this weekly newsletter please sign-up at the following location:

http://www.faithinourfuture.ca/support

Register for OCSTA’s 85th AGM and Conference

Where: Sheraton Hotel and Conference Centre – 801 Dixon Rd., Toronto

When: April 30 – May 2, 2015

“Inspired by the Past; Focused on the Future”

This year OCSTA will be celebrating 85 years of service to Ontario’s Catholic District School Boards at the Association’s Annual General Meeting and Conference.

The 2015 conference theme – “Inspired by the Past; Focused on the Future” – speaks to the enormous community achievements that set in motion the establishment of Catholic education in Ontario almost 200 years ago, and the ongoing commitment of Catholic trustees to current and future students in publicly funded Catholic schools.

Keynote Speakers:

The Hon. Liz Sandals, Minister of Education (Invited)

OCSTA President, Kathy Burtnik, with Minister of Education, Liz Sandals.

Trends Expert, Max Valiquette: “Millenials, Technology, and the Human Component”

Anne Sado, President, George Brown College – “Innovative Education Partnerships”

Fr. Leonard Altilia, S.J., President, St. Paul’s High School

Other Session Topics include:

• Understanding Education Finance in Ontario
• Trustees’ Panel: A Review of the OCSTA Certificate Course for Catholic Trustees
• Aboriginal Education
• Student Trustee Workshop

Discounted “OCSTA” Hotel rate: $139 per night

Hotel reservations cut-off date: April 10, 2015. After the deadline, this special rate will be provided on a space available basis only.

• Online Hotel Reservation
• Hotel reservation telephone number: 1-866-932-7058

Preliminary Program

• Online Conference Registration

For any questions about the program, please contact Sharon McMillan at OCSTA, ext. 232.

OCSTA 2015 Elections – May 1, 2015

Now is a good time to start thinking about the role you might serve as part of the leadership team steering the direction of OCSTA. That opportunity is available as a member of the Association’s Board of Directors.

The OCSTA Board of Directors is the principal source of policy and political direction and the major decision-making body of the Association. The Board manages the affairs of the Association and consists of the following elected positions:

President
Vice-President
Past President
Regional Directors (Directors in Regions 6, 7, 8 and 12 are not elected by the membership but are instead selected/appointed by their respective boards)

For the 2015 OCSTA AGM, nominations are being accepted for “Regional Directors”.  View list of regions.

• The Role of the OCSTA Regional Director
  The Regional Director knows and understands:
  • the issues currently under discussion at OCSTA;
  • the position of OCSTA on these issues; and
  • the position of boards (within their region) on these issues
• Regional Directors seek input and views on current issues from their respective regions and bring forward these issues, as required, to the Board of Directors
• The Association relies on Regional Directors to know the full range of services that are available from OCSTA for trustees and administrators and to encourage the maximum use of OCSTA services by members.
• Regional Directors have a key role to play in enhancing communication between the Boards they represent and OCSTA by:
  • providing on a regular basis to boards in their regions, a report on OCSTA Board of Directors’ meetings;
  • encouraging boards to respond to OCSTA issues and discussion papers
• The Board of Directors meet 6 times per year (September, December,February, April (twice) and June).
• There are currently 6 standing committees comprised of OCSTA Directors.
• OCSTA Regional Directors are required to sit on at least 2 Standing Committees.

The deadline for nominations is 10:00 a.m. (EST) on April 2, 2015.  A list of all nominations received in the OCSTA office by April 2, 2015 will be distributed to all member boards no later April 6, 2015.  Please direct any questions to Jane Ponte at OCSTA – 416-932-9460, ext. 223 / jponte[at]ocsta.on.ca.

Be Not Afraid: In Conversation with JPII Biographer, George Weigel

Trustees, board staff, and members of the community are invited to attend an event sponsored by Christian think-tank organization, Cardus, entitled: Be Not Afraid: An Evening with George Weigel.

Dr. Weigel is the author of Witness to Hope: The Biography of Saint John Paul II and he will be appearing in conversation with Fr. Raymond J. de Souza to speak on Saint John Paul II’s visit to Canada in 2002, his death in 2005, his role in reshaping history behind the Iron Curtain, and his vision for how Evangelicals and Catholics together can offer a bold joint witness in a secular age.

March 17, 2015 | 7:30pm
Morrow Park Chapel at Tyndale University (formerly TCDSB’s St. Joseph Morrow Park High School)
3377 Bayview Ave, North York (parking on-site)
Note: Morrow Park Chapel and grounds are a smoke-free campus

Tickets
$20 – General Admission
Discounts available for Convivium members and youth
$40 – General Admission and a one-year Convivium membership, Canada’s Premier magazine for faith in our common life

Register
online: conviviummagazine.ca/weigel
phone: 905.528.8866 x32

View the promotional video  to learn more.

For Students in all CDSBs – Poland TCDSB Summer Credit Course

Students in any of Ontario’s Catholic District School Boards are invited to participate in the 2015 Poland TCDSB Music and History Gr. 11/12 Summer Credit Course in Europe.

For 21 days, from July 1 – 22, students will be able to explore and experience the music, culture and history of 8 European countries, including Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Spain, Andorra, France and Monaco.

An information night is planned for February 25, from 79 p.m. at the Toronto Catholic District School Board’s Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton Catholic Secondary School, 1515 Bloor St. West, Toronto.

Full details are in the course poster. Registration details are here.